Initially inspired by his memories of the death of Buddy Holly in 1959, ‘American Pie’ is autobiographical and presents an abstract story of Don McLean’s life from the mid 1950s until when he wrote the song in the late 1960s. When the song was released in 1972, it reached the top of the Billboard 100 charts in a matter of weeks, selling more than 3 million copies; and at eight and a half minutes long, this was no mean feat. Opening with the death of singer Buddy Holly and ending near the tragic concert at Altamont Motor Speedway, you are able to frame the span of years the song is covering, 1959 to 1970, as the “10 years we’ve been on our own” of the third verse. It is across this decade that the American cultural landscape changed radically, passing from the relative optimism and conformity of the 50s and early 60s, to the rejection of these values by the various political and social movements of the mid and late 60s. “American Pie” has remained as much a cultural touchstone, sung by everyone from Garth Brooks to Madonna , and over thirty years later, it remains one of the most discussed, dissected and debated songs that popular music has ever produced.

The Official Web Site of Don McLean and American Pie